An ex-soldier hoped he would find diamonds in Kimberley, Cape Province, to reverse his ill fortune. He failed so he turned to crime instead.
On March 7th, 1923, Arthur Stanley and an accomplice ambushed William Thompson, a diamond buyer, on his rounds. He opened fire, hitting Mr. Thompson in the head, killing him immediately, and seriously injuring his chauffeur. Stanleys loot was a large amount of cash and a sizeable bag of diamonds. Unfortunately for him, the chauffeur survived and identified him.
Stanley was hanged on Monday, June 11th, 1923, in Cape Town Central Prison. He refused to name his accomplice who, he claimed, actually fired the fatal shot.